V-type ditching machine adjustment



Feb. 16, 1954 Q GREGERSON 2,669,040

V TYPE DITCHING MACHINE ADJUSTMENT Filed sept. 17, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 1Feb 16, 1954 n o. l.. GREGERsoN 2,669,040

V TYPE DITCHING MACHINE ADJUSTMENT Filed Sept. 17, 1946 2 SheeS-Sheeb 2rrif/@92.9

sirable for dissembling the machine and in moving it from place toplace, but obviously, the connections between the struts and thelandside and the moldboard could be permanent, made so, for example, bymeans of rivets or welding (not shown) In Fig. 2, the landside 23 isshown in its working position along the bottom 28 of a canal, the bankof the canal being shown at 30 and a substantially finished side of thecanal at 98. Disposed to travel along the canal on the bank 3B is thetrailing wheel 3|, which is journaled on a stub axle 32, that extendsoutwardly from the trailing wheel so as to carry the lower end of a mast33. Connected to the mast, for example by welding, is the upper end of astrut 34, this strut and the mast being further rigidly connected toeach other by means of a brace so as to conveniently produce an A-frame.A brace 36 ex'- tends advantageously from the opposite end of the axle32 to the strut 34. At the top of the mast 33 are warped gusset plates31 and 38 between which is secured the upper end of a strut 39, thesecurement being effected by any suitable means, for example, a bolt 40,which allows a limited movement of this strut, the lower end of thelatter being similarly fastened to the moldboard 2G by means of the bolt4 I.

Flexibly connecting the A-frame 42 to the moldboard is a'chain 43 thatserves to harness the trailing wheel 3l to the moldboard. For thispurpose one end of the chain is connected to a lug 44 on the brace 3S,the other end of the chain being connected tothe bracket 45 that is faston the moldboard 20, in this instance by means of rivets 4B. The chainfastenings may be of any suitable kind such as the respective clevises41 and 48. The strut 34 is removably connected to 4 portion of a link 31that in turn is connected to a short chain 63, the last link of which isconnected to a clevis 10 that is pivotally connected to the front end ofthe moldboard 20 at 1l. Alternative holes 11a for the pivot pin areprovided in the moldboard 25. A flexible auxiliary draft membercomprising principally, for example, a wire cable 13, has one endthereof connected to the drawbar 58 by means of a rope socket 14. Thiscable extends through a pulley block 15 and the other end of the cab-lepasses over the guide sheave 54 and is wound on the drum 52.

The pulley block 15 is attached to a link chain the landside 23 by anysuitable means, for example, a bolt 49. Thus, the A-frame 42 with itstrailing wheel 3l, has largely a floating relation to the moldboard andthe landside, thereby bringing about certain desirable flexibility ofconnection between these parts relative to the control mechanismpresently to be described.

Means operative to propel the ditching mai the moldboard and consistsconveniently of usual winding or reeling drums 5I and 52 as well asusual guide sheavesl53 and 54. The winding drums are operative throughthe respective, usual levers 55 and 56. Power for driving the operatingdrums is supplied from the usual engine (not shown) through ausualtransmission mechanism (not shown).

The main draft member is indicated at 12 and preferably comprises anarticulative chain 51 followed by a series of obstacle overridingpilotelements. A clevis 59 connects one end of chain 51 to the tractordrawbar 58, the other end being connected to an elongated, eyelettedlink 63 that has a shaft portion on which is rotatably mounted a tube 6l forming a fixed part of a pilot roller E2.. This first roller isarticulatively connected to a second pilot roller 63 which also ismounted on a similar link, the successive rollers forming a group suitedto the requirements of any particular case. In this instance are shownthree pilot rollers, the last one 54 being articu1a tively connected toa nose float 55 xed on a tube 56 which latter is rotatably mounted onthe shaft 16,- the other end of the chain being connected to the rearend of themoldboard 26 by means of a clevis 11 pivotally connected to anarm 18 that is fast on the moldboard, for example, by means of rivets19.

In order to properly control the operation of the moldboard, means isprovided for raising or lowering the moldboard with respect to thetrailing wheel 3|. In the present instance, the raising and loweringfunctions are accomplished by means of a flexible cable 83 that passesthrough the pulley blocks 8| and 82, The pulley block 8l isadvantageously connected to the moldboard by means of a relatively shortchain 83 having the clevis 84, the latter being pinned to the moldboard.The near end of the cable 8b is fastened to the moldboard by means of arope socket 85. The pulley block 32 is necessarily located at a pointappreciably above-the pulley block 8|, an advantageous point offastening being provided in proximity to the top of the mast by means ofan eyefbolt 86.

Since the moldboard 2B is usually of considerable width from top tobottom and has considerable weight, it is desirable that the struts 24,25 and 26, be securely braced to both the moldboard and the landside, inthis instance, by means of the respective bracketed portions 81, 88 and89. For convenience in dissembling when moving a machine from place toplace, as hereinbefore touched upon, the bolts 28 serve to engageconnection angles 93, Fig. 5, that are fast on the moldboard. Similarly,the bolts 21 engage connection angles 96a fast on the landside. In use,the landside is subjected to reactionary stresses from'the moldboard andtherefore must be of sturdyI construction. Accordingly, a tubular member23a extends longitudinally along the back of the landside and isconnected thereto by the longitudinal plates 23h and 23o to form a lrigid assembly, this for illustration, being accomplished by welding thecomponent parts together as required.

The ,general details of the pilot rollers, such as 62, 63 and 64 areindicated in Figs. 6 and 7, where the shell 9| and the tube 66 of eachroller are connected to the respective heads 92, by welding. The generaldetails of the nose float are indicated in Figs. 8 and 9 where the shellconsists of steel plates 34 curved to a relatively long radius andwelded together at the edges thereof to define a rather flattenedconfiguration, the two plates 94 being provided with a rear head 96. Theforward, end of the nose oat is curved, as at 91, to facilitate ridingover obstacles.

The attened configuration of the nose float stabilizes its motion as itglides along through or over siltI and mud, and it in turn imparts acertain degree of stability to the moldboard and landside, while theconnection member 22 improves the advancing attack of the moldboard uponthe material encountered in its advance.

einem@ `tffhas'. been= found that excellent reslts'aiefomytainedvvhen-zthef -line of :the upper. 7edge of.'v the landsidaextended;:is.=-spaced: somewhat; outside of- .thewnearest` .point'of'thermoldboard, .las designatedat'l l a-in.lig.11;,while at thefsa'metime, `the line ofi-the lower edgezof thetlandside, extended, is spacedapart .fromthe n nose :off Athe C:inoldboard adistance y2l b;considerably.greaterfthanthe distance 21a.

-. 'In operating fthe ditching 4assern'bly'two men "are Ausually*employed;l fboth having lt'heir sta tions preferablyfon the motivefunit,.uone;to: guide itrand'the-y other to manipulate the control"mechanismfper kse that actuatesxthe control lines' ningyfto.: the. ditcher.'Asef'represented Z-in :"Figf 5., theaditcherfis drawn? along la canalor otherfwa'-A terw'ayfinthe 'generalzdirection` oflthe1-arrow 93-Theioperator. v of .fthe `ditcher. manipulates the levers 53 and 54 toachieve the results desired in anyffparticularcase; Whilewthe-driverguides theftractor 50 inac'cordance with vthese same desired-results.The: frenioteness of; the a tractor fromvtheY ditcher depends upon@ theparticular local conditions encountered from .time to. time. Ifthefbanksihappen to. .fbewquite .rrnand the vegetation not Vtoo-f.heavy', the ytractor rmay' travel rather :closely to the' channel,=y'but 'iff'- the condi.- tions are not favorable, the tractor musttravel alcourse .spacedfa greater or lesser distancev from the-channel.

`Sonrefo'f theresultsobtainable by meansv of theinvention` areringeneralvisualized in Fig. 5..: Assuming that-the blade 2D has been setat the properfangle, as determined by varying` conditions, such`as'thoselpeculiar to a particular Waterwayiwithffrespect to-.thefnalresults desired, it Will loeobservedrthat in traveling in the directionof .the varrow'93,ithe moldboard 20 isitra'inedfacross Aand cutsfinto 'aside of the k-vvaterway so as to practically roll up .alayer .ofrefuse-earth. or spoil together'with anyvegetable growth thereon.yThisispoilisrrolled' onto the respective bank ofthewaterway and leavesthe side vof the latter in substantially the finished form indicated atv98, while the trailerrwheel follows themol'dboard along a path thatmayvery considerably, but that in Ygeneral follows the representation at99. 'Thelayer'offspoilafbeing removed,- 'generally follows therepresentation at 100, the' arrowsA indicatingA its :rolling movement.

Irrigation canals and ditches .farei-subject to having'the banksgrownover, and even-the sides andibottorny of a Waterway .itself covered.with

vegetable growtlnsuch as willows, grassand. wild shrubbery of variouskinds. A considerable 'network .ofdeeply `penetrating roots is developedthat from .year to year produces agrowth which gives trouble by.impeding .the ow of water through the waterway and reduces 'verymaterially vthe Ycarrying and `earning 'capacity thereof. Therefore itbecomes necessary at frequent intervals to remove the Vegetation 'thatis objectionable-andA wild, and re-form the sides and banks fof lthecanal orditch. The utility of 'jthe invention-in :accomplishing thiswork .Will .readil-ybeunderstcod from what has beenexplained.

A representation of some ofthe vobjectionable features encountered,v isset forth inV Fig. x5vr where along the bank portion IUI, growingv grasshas gotten .very long and trails down into` the Waterway channel. At |02`is indicatedl a growth 'of willows. v As a-fccnsequence, the side IH13ofthe channel,-because ofthe wash of the current-and.

thedeposition of silt or other obstructive matter; Ahas wbecomede-formed tor-an.. objectionable Yextent:` i ther; ditching;rlmachinetmovesrfcr- -vvardcfalong lsuch afwaterway, :the obstructingmatter is removed, .-jusually -at'oneipas'sage of :ithe machine. 'As themachine i' advances and. .the spoil .is rolled up ontoithe bank, th'evegetable growth fof.- any L substantial iheight *is bent xover and: rflattened dovvnA by". the. foncoming' rolling action ofix the :spoil|06, such 1 flattening 'bein'g suggested at |04. important considerationthe .'.op'eraton of fthe machine is :the-l tiiexibi'lityr ofi-its.'F'control means. This flcexiloil'ity is basedonltherf-act that the"operation" takes''place in .two "selectivelyvariable,z-iconti'guous ftriangular: 'planes having ifa-.f side inf'ccmmon alongrvvnich aningin'gaction :takes place; as illustratedv in the ydiagrams y of Figsif'S and'4.. .Theemoldboard 4zu'f'andthe :landsdelfz are represented by the so ,rdesignated intersecting straight-v lines ythat constitute two "sides ofa triangle, -the thirds side being" an imaginary line 69ljoiningfv thefar .extremitiesof linesV 20 an'di23; This vtriangle has verticesa, b,c, and yobviously lies in the'plane offoperatio'n ofthe machine.v Theothe'rtriangle hasV the vsidesl'zand Ik/and the vertices d,'c, f, -thethird-side being l2li-lin commonv with the triangleabc. The side 12represents the maindraftfmember With"i'tsiappurten'ances,y and the line13; the auxiliarydrat member with its appurtenances.

In any particular 'ditcher* the triangle felici-obviously -is constant,'butthe-'triangle-de is subject to variation, nrst, fbecau'se v`vthe"-mainfdraft member '12"can be varied from-*timetoi'tirnefby addingorsubtracting chain linksfaccording to 'general requirements,`andffsecond, because' the auxiliary :draft member 13 caribe andAisf'vaiied momentarily according to specific' requirementsas theassembly moves along. This selective variation in the-sidel'l`3alongwith the factth'at contiguous vertices 'ia-and fare incommonsubject to selective elevation or depression, by means ofv thel controlline 81),*combinestoibringiabout the high degree fof-#maneuveringilexibility 'of the apparatus of fthe invention;

It is to bel 'observedJ that they triangle abc' f Fig.v Bliesfwholly-Ainthe'llinr'e 2l) of-'Fig 4.

While' the v"fields in-I which themachine' `pflthe' invention .findsemploymentfare i'quitefr'i-un'ierous, one fthat vis1.'repres'e'ntativebrings 'o'ut @its novel maneuverability,is the cleaningof irrigationcanais. f This `eld''seems'deserving "ofspeclal mention.. z Ordinarily,irrigation f 'canals f ililow through ldistricts vwhere.land l isfunderl af'higlh degreeof "cultivation and y:hen'cefcanals are? besetwith-many obstructions, vsuch :as iindividuallhead` gates through whichthe users of'water are' served; bridges, and so on. v 'Ganalf'workfofthis character also 'brings out a.1significant'advantagev offithfepresenti` machine .'inxthat. lits sentirei performante is continuous andoccurs in transit, thatfis-to say, there is no stopping of .theimach-inebecause ofthe obstructions aforesaid;I While-'ditching machines -ofothentypes inv common use,-almostin varably'require stopping at'anyobstructin fol" lowed vby 'ai tediousi` procedure of getting the44Ama-'- chine out ofthe channel and-replacingit on fthe opposite sideyof -the *obstructiom-an intermittent performance atbest.

' When the present 'machine' encounters'headgates, lit is` .notnecessary tov-take vthe machine out of the channel'v at'.all,'.foi-fthe"reason -.th'a't the' outboardap'ortion1 Aof tv the rmoldboard ficanberaised suhicientlyhigh' von'the nrra'st-#so'that'fal-4 most anyfheadgat'e` structure. isY cleared; sln'e'n' aszatheimoldboardehasapassed':ever; f iti' eanagain' be lowered into'the diggingposition in thechannel without fuss or fanfare. An unique feature ofmanipulation of the machine is that in the interval of the said passingover, the weight of the moldboard is practically taken off the carrierwheel 3l, with the result that only the Weight of the Wheel comes on theheadgate structure, therefore seldom causing any damage to the same.

Also unique is the passing of a bridge. As soon as the machineapproaches the bridge, the auxiliary cable 13 and the control cable Siiare lengthened out or unreeled, so as to throw the entire tractor pullonto the nose of the machine, thereby raising it out of the channel andconcentrating the entire pulling stress on the landside. This results inbringing the machine up, out of the channel immediately in front of thebridge, and to pass the same without further ado, all

during transit. After passing, the two cables are again shortened, orreeled in, so that the machine is guided back into the channel. At thispoint is where the particular novel utility of the runner 22, which hashereinbefore been designated as a connection member is manifested, inthat it guides the nose of the machine generally in the longitudinaldirection of the runner, instead of allowing the landside to impose itsguidance on the nose. f

When the machine is used in a digging operation, the depth of thedigging is controlled by slacking the auxiliary cable 'i3 and at thesame time allowing the pull of the main draft member 12 to raise thenose to the desired extent, since the tendency of the main draft memberWithout this control is to sink the nose deeper and deeper into the softmaterial at the bottom of a canal, The novel utility of the nose float65 consists in keeping the nose of a machine in such a position that theuniform line of the channel is maintained.

Also unique in the operation of the machine is the fact that it ismaneuvered entirely by remote control so that the cleaning of a canalcan easily be accomplished even though it is full of Water. This is ofconsiderable importance when it is realized that withdrawing the waterfrom a canal is not only an item of expense, but also that it occasionsinconvenience and often money losses to the users of water from thecanal.

Cleaning the bottom of a canal is easily accomplished by the propermanipulation of the control lines, first bringing the V-frame into aposition where its plane coincides with the bottom surface of the canaland then drawing it along that surface.

- Although more or less specific details are included in the foregoingdescription, it is to be understood that the invention is not therebylimited.

- What is claimed is:

l. A ditching machine comprising a V-shaped frame composed of amoldboard leg and a landside leg; a trailing wheel arranged outside saidV-shaped frame to support the outboard portion of said moldboard leg; anA-frame having one leg strut at least partially supported on saidtrailing wheel and another leg strut connecting the Erst-mentioned legstrut to said landside; and a flexible connector extending from said A-frame to said outboard portion.

2. A ditching machine comprising a V-shaped frame composed of amoldboard leg and a landside leg; carrier means for the outboard portionof said moldboard leg; said carrier means the V; carrier means trailingand supporting said moldboard; a prime mover comprising motive meanshaving a drawbar and reeling means; main draft means extending fromsubstantially the vertex of said V-frame to said drawbar; and auxiliarydraft means extending operatively from the rear of said moldboard leg tosaid reeling means. y

4. A ditching apparatus assembly according to claim 3, wherein said maindraft means comprises a flexible connector having overriding rollermeans disposed in advance of the vertex of said V-frame.

5. A ditching apparatus assembly according to claim 3, wherein said maindraft means includes a nose float in advance of the vertex of said V-frame.

6. A ditching apparatus assembly according to claim 3, wherein saidauxiliary draft means comprises a flexible connector extending from saiddrawbar to the rear portion of said moldboard leg and from said rearportion back to said reeling means; and means operative to selectivelycontrol the reeling means.

i. A ditching apparatus assembly according to claim 3, wherein controlmeans is included operative to selectively elevate or to cause thedepression of said moldboard relatively to said carrier means.

8. A ditching apparatus assembly according to claim 3. wherein isincluded pulley means disposed at the rear portion of said moldboard;other pulley means disposed at a high point of said carrier; a secondreeling means on said prime mover; and a flexible connector having oneend thereof attached to said rear moldboard portion, thence threadedrespectively through said second-mentioned and first-mentioned pulleymeans and finally extending operatively to said second reeling means.

9. An earth excavating plant comprising an excavating unit with amoldboard having a. nose portion, and an edge portion extendingangularly upwardly and backwardly of said nose portion; means adapted tooperatively support said moldboard; a motive unit operative to draw saidexcavating unit; a flexible main draft connector extending from saidmotive unit to said nose portion; a flexible secondary draft connectorextending from said motive unit to the rear portion of said moldboard;means selectively operative to lengthen or shorten said secondary draftconnector as the case may be, during transit; and means selectivelyoperative to elevate or depress the rear portion of the moldboard as thecase may be, during transit.

l0. An excavating plant including in combination, an excavator having amoldboard and a landside lying operatively in and constituting two sidesof a triangular plane; a prime mover remote from said excavator;fiexible draft connectors extending from said prime mover to saidexcavator, said draft connectors forming substantially a secondtriangular plane having a. side in common with the moldboard side of thefirstmentioned triangular plane, said prime mover being locatedsubstantially at that vertex of the second-mentioned triangular planethat is opposite the common side; an A-frame having a wheel-carried legadjacent the free end of said moldboard, the other leg thereof beingattached to the free end of said landside; and a flexible controlconnector operative to raise or lower the moldboard free end relative tosaid A-frame.

11. An excavating plant according to claim 10 wherein is included meansoperative to selectively increase or diminish as the case may be duringtransit, the effective length of that one of said flexible draftconnectors which is oppo- 15 12. An excavating plant according to claim10, wherein moldboard raising and lowering means extends from said primemover to that vertex of the first-mentioned triangular plane oppositethe landside side thereof; and wherein said prime mover is operative toselectively increase or diminish as the case may be, the length of thesaid moldboard flexible control connector.

OWEN L. GREGERSON.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 127,239 Hopkins May 28, 1872 726,709 Lemert Apr. 28, 19031,048,243 Wallis Dec. 24, 1912 1,166,251 Phipps Dec. 28, 1915 1,779,101McClurkin Oct. 2,1, 1930

